President Moon Jae-in and Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un Hold Their First Meeting

Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps | 2018-04-27 15:38 (KST)

(9:20 am)

Members of the Presidential Security Service and Press Corps, children holding bouquets of flowers, and Cheong Wa Dae officials wait in front of Peace House

Two North Korean print reporters, a man and a woman show interest in the South Korean children holding flowers and ask to have pictures taken with them. The photographers urge everyone to smile and jokingly say they should do so because they are beautiful. The North Korean reporters converse with the children’s homeroom teacher saying, “You must be honored, too, because you have such proud students.”

A Cheong Wa Dae official explains the significance of the bouquets of peonies, daisies and canola flowers: The peony, the king of flowers, symbolizes the direction north; daises represent peace, and canola flower suggest the direction south.

The journalists from both sides exchange a few words. A South Korean journalist asks his counterpart how he feels about the meeting of the two leaders. The North Korean journalist replies, “It’s incredible. It’s like the event of the century. When I watch Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un stepping across a place that represents confrontation, I think I will be overcome with emotion. Please, report this event in a way that can rouse people’s feelings.”

(9:25 am)

The official South Korean delegation enters Peace House through the front. They all wear suits, except Gen. Jeong Kyeongdoo, Chairman of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is in uniform.

The official South Korean delegates accompanying the President are Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok, Minister of Unification Cho Myoung Gyon, Director of National Security Chung Eui-yong, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha, Minister of National Defense Song Young-moo, Chairman of the ROK Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Jeong Kyeongdoo, Chief of National Intelligence Service Suh Hoon, Senior Secretary to the President for Public Communication Yoon Young-chan, and Presidential Security Service Joo Young-hoon.

Standing in line on the street in front of Buildings T1, T2 and T3 of the Military Armistice Commission are (from left to right): Im Jong-seok, Cho Myoung Gyon, Kang Kyung-wha, Song Young-moo, Suh Hoon, Chung Eui-yong, Jeong Kyeongdoo, Joo Young-hoon, Yoon Young-chan, and Director of Chunchugwan Cheong Wa Dae Press Center Kwun Hyuk-Ki.

(9:27 am)

President Moon arrives and immediately walks down the steps. On his way down the stairs, the President pats the young boy beside the young girl with flowers on the shoulder from behind. This causes the boy to jump with a start. Seeing his surprised response, President Moon laughs and asks “Why?” Thereupon everyone there waiting bursts into laughter. When President Moon moves to the point halfway between Buildings T2 and T3, the door on the second floor of Panmungak opens and dozens of attendants from the North Korean side come down the stairs all at once. Some are in Mao suits while others wear military uniforms.

A member of the lead group of North Korean delegates goes ahead to reach the front of the road between Buildings T2 and T3, and then all the North Korean delegates step back behind the Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim Jong Un.

Chairman Kim Jong Un is in a black Mao suit with thin white stripes wearing horn-rimmed glasses. As Chairman Kim Jong Un walks by himself, President Moon waits for him at the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

While Chairman Kim Jong Un walks, the North Korean delegates cross over to the South through the T1and T2 buildings, and Kim Yong Nam and Kim Yong Chol of North Korea stand in line next to Im Jong-seok, the Chief Secretary to the President.

As Chairman Kim approaches President Moon, he smiles broadly.

(9:29 am)

The two leaders shake hands over the Military Demarcation Line. Both clasp hands for a long time and chat. They exchange two or three comments.

As President Moon points his hand towards the South, Chairman Kim Jong Un goes across the Military Demarcation Line.

From the southern side of the Military Demarcation Line, the two leaders face Panmungak to the North and pose for their first commemorative photos.

The two leaders turn around and faced Freedom House to the South and again take commemorative photos.

After the prescheduled taking of commemorative photo together, the two leaders chat a while, and Chairman Kim first extends his hand to hold President Moon’s hand. Hand-in-hand, the two leaders step over the MDL toward the northern side of the line. Then, the two leaders pose for a commemorative photo facing both in the northern and southern direction. This unpremeditated development of the situation draws applauses and acclamations from official delegates from both sides.

(9:30 am)

The two leaders walk toward a young boy and girl who are both in the fifth grade at Daesungdong Elementary School in Daesungdong Village within the Demilitarized Zone.

As the children says, “We welcome you,” Chairman Kim said, “Thank you.” Patting their shoulders, President Moon says, “Thank you, thank you,” and Chairman Kim laughs out.

When Chairman Kim receives the bouquet of flowers from the children, Kim Yo Jong, 1st Vice Department Director of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party, who is clad in a grey jacket and black skirt, steps forward from the North Korean delegation to take the bouquet.

Kim Yo Jong steps back and hands the flowers over to another North Korean delegate while President Moon, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission Kim and the children take commemorative photos together. After taking the photos, President Moon asks the South Korean staff, “This is the right way, isn’t it?” and leads Chairman Kim to the red carpet.

The South and North Korean leaders stand on the edge of the red carpet, the traditional honor guard commander says, “Move on,” and the two leaders walk side by side onto the carpet. Next to the carpet, Kim Yo Jong, carrying a dark bag and a briefcase, follows a few steps behind Chairman Kim on his side, while Protocol Secretary to the President Cho Han Ki walks behind President Moon on the other side.